For the first time all season Northwest Missouri State hitters were held at bay as No. 2 Central Missouri shutout the Bearcats 5-0 to open a four-game MIAA series from Bearcat Field on Friday.

Northwest fell to 5-12 on the season and 4-5 in league play while the Mules improved to 13-1 overall and 7-1 in the MIAA. The Bearcats and Mules continue the conference series on Saturday with a double header from Bearcat Field starting at noon.

Both teams locked in a pitcher’s duel for the first two innings before UCM broke through with two runs in the top of the third inning.

Starter Chris Green went 5.1 innings scattering six hits and striking out two. Green ran into trouble allowing five walks as Bearcat pitchers walked seven on the day.

Mules’ starter Kurtis Schuyler was outstanding striking out 10 batters while only walking two through six innings.

Four errors haunted Northwest as well as the miscues accounted for three UCM runs.

The bullpen for the Bearcats was solid as Jacob Raffaele and Nathaniel Horton combined for 3.2 innings. Both pitchers were solid limiting UCM base runners as the Mules left 12 runners in the game.

Eric Swain went 1-for-4 extending his hitting streak to four games while Jake Kretzer also extending his hitting streak of five games. Kretzer finished 1-for-3 in the loss.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State offense came alive to earn a split with 16th-ranked Emporia State taking the nightcap 10-6 after falling in game one on Saturday, 16-3 in MIAA baseball action from Glennen Field.

The Bearcats moved their record to 5-11 and stay even in league play at 5-5. The Hornets stand at 9-4 on the year and move to 5-3 in conference action taking three of four from the Bearcats and the series win.

Game one of Saturday was all Emporia State as the Hornets scored 16 runs on 18 hits.

Bearcat shortstop Eric Swain joined the home run party as the junior blasted two home runs in the first game and added a second in game two. Swain doubled his home run total as he now leads the team with six.

ESU scored six runs in the first and seven in the second to build a 13-1 lead.

After a first inning home run, Swain belted his second to lead off the third inning. Steven Graber doubled home Eric McGlauflin providing the only offense for Northwest in game one.

It took more warming up for Northwest in the nightcap as they opened up the scoring in the fifth when Ryan Abernathy doubled home Jon Pomatto and Jake Kretzer to take a 2-0 lead. The next batter, Cameron Bedard, singled scoring Abernathy to put the Bearcats up 3-0.

However ESU would answer with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the Bearcat bats continued to come back for more when Kretzer blasted a two-run homer pushing the Northwest lead to 5-2.

Again the Hornets answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but it was Swain’s third home run of the day that broke the game open for Northwest. Swain belted his sixth home run of the season putting the Bearcats on top 8-4.

ESU would only manage two more runs as the Bearcat bullpen closed the door.

Northwest starter Chase Anderson picked up the win going 7.1 innings and scattering nine hits. Anderson was charged with only one of the five runs scored as he also struck out three.

Josh Parish pitched the final 1.2 innings giving up just two hits and striking out two.

Northwest continues MIAA action as they host Central Missouri in the home opener at Bearcat Field. First pitch o

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State softball team took an extra inning 7-6 win over Lindenwood to earn a split as the Bearcats fell 5-3 in the nightcap Saturday in non-conference softball action from Bearcat Field.

The Bearcats stayed even on the season at 9-9 while the Lions moved to 5-13 on the season. Northwest will host Wayne State in non-conference action to close out a six-game home stand at Bearcat Field Tuesday at 2 p.m.

In the first game of the day the Bearcats needed extra innings and took advantage of a Lindenwood error that allowed Jordan Ereth to score the game winning run. Molly Baker grounded sharply to the shortstop, but the error allowed Baker to reach safely and Ereth to round third for the game winning run.

Northwest built a 6-1 lead as Kristine Labertew led off the fourth inning with a home run. Two batters later Jordan Ereth tripled and scored when Josie Van Houten singled.

A pair of Lions’ errors aided the final two runs for the Bearcats, but Lindenwood would battle back to tie the game in the top of the seventh inning.

Jenna Creger pitched seven innings for Northwest to earn a no-decision, as she struck out eight and walked three.

Morgan Brunmeier pitched a perfect eighth setting up the Bearcat bottom half of the inning.

Ereth went 2-for-5 and scored three runs as three other Bearcats finished with two hits in the opener.

In game two, Northwest got another solid outing in the circle from Abbie Vitosh, but the Bearcats were not able to rally a second time falling 5-3.

Vitosh pitched 6.1 innings scattering eight hits and striking out six. The freshman only walked one and allowed five runs, four of which were earned in the loss.

The Bearcats fell behind 3-0, but a Kristen Uthe three-run homer tied the game in the bottom of the fifth.

Lindenwood answered with two more runs in the top of the sixth to go up 5-3, which proved to be the final score.

Uthe went 2-for-4 as her three RBIs were the only runs driven in for Northwest in the nightcap.

Van Houten also went 2-for-3 in the loss.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri State got two solid pitching performances, but were unable to complete a pair of comebacks as No. 16 Emporia State swept a MIAA double header, 8-3 and 9-6 at Glennen Field Friday afternoon.

With the sweep the Bearcats fall to 4-10 on the year and evened their record to 3-3 in MIAA play. The 16th-ranked Hornets improved to 8-3 on the season and 4-2 in league play as the two squads will close out the series Saturday with a twin bill starting at 1 p.m.

In the opener, ESU jumped out early on the Bearcats pushing a run across in the first and two more in the bottom of the third. The real blow came in the fourth inning when Aston McCoy belted a grand slam for his first home run of the season giving the Hornets a 5-0 lead.

However, Northwest would rally in the top of the seventh scoring three runs before ESU halted the Bearcats getting a pair of ground outs taking the 8-3 win.

Entering the series on an offensive tear the Bearcats were limited to only four hits by Hornets starter, Brandon Faulkner. Faulkner went six innings only walking one while striking out four.

Northwest starter Chris Green was handed his first loss of the season to fall to 2-1 as he walked three and struck out two in five innings of work. Jacob Raffaele pitched a scoreless sixth in relief of Green.

In the night cap the tables were turned for six innings as Northwest built a 6-1 lead aided by an Eric Swain’s third home run of the year. However, after a great effort from Jace Anderson, who went 6.1 innings and scattered nine hits, ESU started and completed a seven run rally ending with a walk-off home run.

Carson Smith entered with one out in the seventh and a 4-6 lead. ESU rallied scoring five runs off the reliever who also allowed five hits.

Tyler Durant had the only multiple hit game of the day for the Bearcats going 2-for-3 with a run scored.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The Northwest Missouri State softball team played almost near perfect as they shutout the Lincoln Blue Tigers in a MIAA opening double header Friday winning 8-0 and 4-0 at Bearcat Field.

Northwest got back the .500 mark moving to 8-8 on the year and 2-0 in league play with the sweep. Lincoln fell to 4-12 on the year and 0-2 in conference play as Friday was the conference opener for both teams.

Game One – Box Score

The Bearcats got a solid outing in game one from Jenna Creger, who won her third game with a complete game shutout. Creger only allowed two hits and walked none while striking out four as she got the run support needed to end the game via run rule in the fifth inning.

Northwest jumped out to an early lead after a pair of lead off singles brought Kayli Schurman to the plate. Schurman would reach on an outfield error, but picked up her ninth RBI of the season in process.

Just two batters later Angela Wright singled giving Northwest an early 2-0 lead.

After adding a run in the third and fourth innings the Bearcats would put the game in the books in the fifth inning.

Aggressive base running from Anastaszia Roseberry after a single would set up a Josie Van Houten RBI on her third hit of the game. Kristen Uthe would add three RBIs on a one out double ending the game by run rule.

Game two – Box Score

The Northwest pitching staff continued the afternoon with its second shutout to close out the double header as Morgan Brunmeier toed the rubber. Brunmeier scattered nine hits over the complete game shutout, but only walked one and struck out four.

The Bearcats played solid all afternoon as they did not commit an error in either game.

At the plate, Northwest again got on the board early after a pair of wild pitches allowed Jordan Ereth and Van Houten to score taking a 2-0 in the bottom of the first.

In the third Northwest would get its only earned run of the game on an Uthe single that scored Ereth.

The Bearcats would pick up their fourth run when Van Houten scored on a throwing error after Schurman struck out swinging, but reached on the catcher’s miscue.

Northwest returns to the diamond Saturday for a non-conference double header with future MIAA foe Lindenwood. First pitch from Bearcat Field is set for 12 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

Northwest Missouri State junior pitcher, Jenna Creger, was tabbed as the MIAA Softball Student-Athlete of the Week for the week of Feb. 28-March 5, as selected by a conference SID panel on Tuesday.

Creger went 1-1 in the circle for the Bearcats at the Mathis-Zenner Memorial Tournament in Joplin, Mo., over the weekend. The junior righty struck out 15 batters to up her season total to 46 as she carries a 1.88 ERA with six complete games and one shutout. In 43 innings of work the Winterset, Iowa, native is holding opponents to a .210 batting average on the young season.

Northwest is 6-8 on the year and open MIAA action this weekend as the Bearcats host Lincoln on Friday. First pitch of the double header from Bearcat Field is set for 1 p.m.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

The MIAA Regular Season Co-Champion Northwest Missouri State Bearcats return to the NCAA postseason and open against Washburn at 8:30 p.m. Saturday evening.

The two teams each claimed a share of the MIAA title, along with Central Missouri, during the regular season. The Ichabods also took the MIAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship with a 67-63 win over Pittsburg State in Sunday’s title game.

Tipoff between the Bearcats and Ichabods has been set for 8:30 p.m. and will follow host Midwestern State and St. Mary’s which will tipoff at 6 p.m.

The opening session of the regional features No. 3 seed Arkansas Tech against No. 6 seed West Texas A&M at noon followed by No. 2 seed Tarleton State versus No. 7 seed Missouri Southern at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets for the South Central Regional are on sale now. Only all-session passes will be available for advanced purchase prior to the start of tournament play.

The cost for all-session reserve tickets are $40 for floor seats and $30 for loge seats. All-session general admission passes are $22 for adults while student and senior citizen passes are set at $15.

Tickets are available at MSUMustangs.com.  For any questions regarding tickets, please contact the Midwestern State University athletic department at 940-397-4779.

— NWMSU Sports Information —

After struggling to score runs last season the Northwest Missouri State baseball team has found its offensive swing in 2012. The offensive production was more evident than ever Friday afternoon as the Bearcats pounded eight home runs to rout Fort Hays State 29-3 in MIAA action setting a school record for runs scored in the process.

Northwest who improved to 2-7 overall, more importantly jumped to a 1-0 record in MIAA play. The Tigers fell to 1-3 overall and 0-1 in the MIAA after today’s conference opener for both teams.

FHSU jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on a home run, but Bearcat starter Chris Green would put the clamp down on the Tigers’ bats. Green moved to 2-0 on the year as he scattered seven hits over the seven inning complete game win.

After Jake Kretzer was hit by a pitch to lead-off the inning Travis Green would connect on the first of three home runs on the day. Northwest would bat around in the inning scoring two more runs on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly from Eric McGlauflin. McGlauflin also had a career day going 6-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

The four-run second inning would just be the start of things to come in a record setting day for the Bearcats.

With one out, Travis Green doubled down the left field line as Jon Pomatto homered in the gap to left center extending the Northwest lead to 6-1. Green had one of the more outstanding performances, not just of the day, but of a Bearcat in recent history. He finished the day 4-for-5 with five RBIs and three home runs.

After Pomatto’s homer, Cameron Bedard would blast a home run to left just two batters later and Travis Green would add his second bomb of the day with two outs closing out the inning. In all the Bearcats tallied nine runs on six hits with only one FHSU error in the third inning alone.

The Bearcats would add two more runs in the fourth inning on an Eric Swain home run.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Tigers would scratch out their final two runs of the day on three hits.

Northwest would go on to add four runs in the fifth inning, three more in the third and seven runs in the seventh to close out a 29-3 win. Even with the Bearcats 24 hits they stranded 13 runners in the record setting win.

The previous record for runs in a game was 28 as they first set the record in 1990 against Missouri Western. The Bearcats had duplicated the record in 2007 against Minnesota-Crookston.

The Bearcats and Tigers will play a twin bill on Saturday with first pitch set for 2 p.m. The two teams will close out the series on Sunday with a single game slated for noon.

— NWMSU Sports Information —